Weight gain

[Kara Anne]

Has anyone else had weight gain before diagnosis? 

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, @Kara Anne!

Although weight loss with celiac disease is more common than weight gain and is considered a classic symptom, it is well-known and established that some do gain weight with the onset of celiac disease. I was one of those. But I gained even more weight after diagnosis and going gluten free. But by then, I was well into my middle years. Apparently, some of us just start eating more because we are instinctively trying to compensate for developing nutritional deficiencies caused by the disease. Or, we may become less active because of fatigue onset, or both. The timing of the onset of celiac disease with regard to the stage of life may also come into play when there is weight gain.

[Scott Adams]

Many celiacs do gain weight due to the fact that they overeat because they can't absorb nutrients and always feel as though they are starving (which they are!). Here are some articles we've done on celiac disease and obesity:

https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-amp-related-diseases-and-disorders/obesity-overweight-celiac-disease/ 

[knitty kitty]

@Kara Anne,

Yes, I gained weight. 

Celiac Disease affects the ability to absorb sufficient nutrients due to damage in the small intestine.  Nutritional deficiencies are common in celiac disease and need to be corrected as quickly as possible.  Supplementing with essential vitamins and minerals boosts our body's ability to absorb these nutrients and return to health.

Thiamine deficiency causes weight gain.  A diet high in carbohydrates demands more Thiamine Vitamin B1 to turn carbohydrates into energy.  When there's insufficient Thiamine, more carbohydrates are turned into fat and stored in the body (usually that abdominal fat that is so hard to shift).  We need a minimum of half a gram more of Thiamine for every extra thousand calories of carbohydrates.  

Many high carbohydrate, high calorie foods do not contain sufficient thiamine and other B vitamins needed to turn them into energy instead of being stored as fat.  

During illness, emotional stress and physical exertion, we need more Thiamine.  Running to the bathroom while worrying if you'll get there before having an accident meets those criteria.  

Weight gain is also associated with the development of pre-diabetes and diabetes.  Studies have shown that the majority of Diabetics have thiamine deficiency. 

Here's an article that explains...

 

Hiding in Plain Sight: Modern Thiamine Deficiency

Drs. Chandler Marrs and Derrick Lonsdale

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8533683/

[Kara Anne]

Thankyou that's very helpful